"The Panzer IV Saw Service In All Combat Theatres Involving Germany..."

"...And was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war."

This plastic 15mm Panzerkampfwagen IV is manufactured by “Battlefront Miniatures” and is one of three found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War”. The model consists of a medium tank equipped with "Bazooka Skirts", and is the fifth fully-tracked armoured vehicle needed to complete my full-strength 28-point strong German Panzer IV Tank Platoon.

Originally primed with two layers of "Vallejo" German Grey, the model was subsequently shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, heavily dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" German Grey, and then more lightly dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Sombre Grey. I next 'picked out' the Panzer IVs' spade, stowage, machine-gun, muffler and tow-cable using appropriate combinations of "Vallejo" Gunmetal, "Citadel" Nuln Oil", "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Whilst its tracks were tied in to my usual basing with some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, "Citadel" Rakarth Flesh and Agrax Earthshade.

"The US Army Ordnance Department designed the M4 medium tank as a replacement for the M3 tank."

In addition, I rather fancied having this particular tank carry a passenger, so glued a spare crew member from one of my 7.5cm Anti-Tank Gun teams onto the front - as if he was either directing the vehicle or telling someone to get out of the way during manoeuvres. The plastic figure was undercoated in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII, shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII. Their details were later pigmented predominantly using “Vallejo” Gunmetal, German Camouflage Dark Green, Heavy Brown and a series of “Citadel” Shades.

Alongside the latest addition to my German D-Day Beach Defence Grenadier Company, I have also finished another 10mm metal American medium tank which used to be sold by “Pendraken Miniatures” as Code A10 - Sherman M4A4, no skirts, 75mm gun. This particular sculpt appears to have now been superseded by a much more detailed product under Code AMV30 - M4 Sherman, 75mm and was bought as part of a much larger 'Battle Of The Bulge' project purchase to use alongside my already fully-painted German and Soviet World War Two Winter armies.

"Big Mr Tong" WIPs - Four primed Aquaphibians awaiting the second of their shades & a dry-brush

The model was initially treated to a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before receiving two layers of "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab, a wash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab. I then applied a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to its tracks, before repainting some of its prominent wheel mechanisms with (even more) "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

Lastly, I have made a bit more progress on a handful of 3D printed Aquaphibians produced by "Big Mr Tong", courtesy of a "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green shade. My plan is to paint a fifteen-figure strong force of this "aquatic humanoid species from the Supermarionation series Stingray", along with a Terror Fish or two, so I'm using this first batch as a test for a reasonably straightforward colour scheme which I can then apply across the rest of Mike Tongue's miniatures...